An Economic Snapshot of Flushing, Queens Thomas P. DiNapoli Kenneth B. Bleiwas New York State Comptroller Deputy Comptroller Report 10-2012 September 2011 The neighborhood of Flushing, located in north- Highlights central Queens, has a rich history steeped in • The number of businesses in Flushing grew by religious tolerance and cultural diversity. Founded 37.6 percent between 2000 and 2009, compared in 1645, Flushing was the first permanent to 5.7 percent in the rest of the City. settlement in Queens. It is also considered the • Nearly 90 percent of the area’s businesses had birthplace of religious freedom in North America, fewer than ten employees, which was a much where settlers issued the “Flushing Remonstrance” higher rate than in the State and the nation. in 1657, defying Governor Peter Stuyvesant’s • The number of jobs in Flushing has grown every demand that the town expel Quakers and other year since 2005. religious groups. Today, there are more than 200 • houses of worship in Flushing, including the Old In 2010, Flushing added jobs at a rate of Quaker Meeting House (the oldest house of 3.1 percent, far outpacing the rest of Queens and the rest of the City. worship in New York State). • The largest employment sector is health care Beginning in the 1980s, a wave of immigration and social assistance. In 2010, this sector transformed Flushing into one of the most accounted for one-third of the neighborhood’s ethnically diverse communities in Queens, which jobs and more than 40 percent of its wages. is New York City’s most diverse borough. Today, • Since the start of the recession, total wages rose the greater Flushing area has the third-largest by 16.9 percent (much faster than the rest of concentration of immigrants in New York City, Queens) to reach $1.7 billion in 2010. with slightly more than half of its population born outside the United States. Residents from China • In 2009, more than half of the population was and Korea are the most numerous, and have made foreign-born, far greater than the citywide rate (35.6 percent). Flushing a thriving economic community and center for Asian culture. • Public school enrollment grew by 11.3 percent over the past six years, resulting in significant Downtown Flushing is a major transportation hub, overcrowding. which has helped the area’s economic • The intersection of Main Street and Roosevelt development and resiliency. Flushing has added Avenue is the third-busiest in New York City. jobs every year since 2005, even during the Great Recession. Small businesses are a major source of • The Main Street Flushing subway station is the jobs, and have expanded at a faster rate than in the busiest station outside of Manhattan, and the rest of the City. With an increasing concentration tenth-busiest in the system. of doctors’ offices in the area, health care and • Home values declined less during the recession social assistance have accounted for significant and recovered more strongly in 2010 than in the growth in jobs and small businesses. rest of Queens. • Flushing’s economic success has placed heavy Rents rose by 41.1 percent between 2002 and demands on its infrastructure and community 2008, faster than the rest of Queens and the rest of the City. services, which will be further strained by new economic development projects that are planned • With its many ethnic restaurants, produce or currently underway. Addressing this challenge stores, and other retail establishments, Flushing is important to Flushing’s economic future and to has become a shopping destination that attracts its quality of life. people from across the City and the region. Office of the State Comptroller 1 Neighborhood Overview Population and Demographics Easy access to transportation helped Flushing Boosted by immigration, the population in develop. The opening of the Flushing Railroad in Flushing grew by 2 percent between 2000 and 1854, which later became part of the Long Island 2010, to reach 171,530 residents.1 This growth Rail Road (LIRR), made rural portions of Queens rate was faster than in the rest of Queens, and only more accessible. Urbanization accelerated in the slightly slower than in the rest of New York City. early 20th century, as roads and bridges were built Residents of Chinese descent (both domestic and and the subway system reached Flushing in 1928. foreign-born) were the largest ethnic group in Today, the LIRR provides commuter rail access to Flushing (nearly 40 percent of the population in Manhattan and eastern Long Island. The Flushing 2010), while residents from Korea were the next- Main Street LIRR station, however, is not largest group (13 percent of the area’s population). handicap-accessible and is in need of renovation. Of the 55 neighborhoods in New York City (as The Number 7 subway line currently runs from defined by the U.S. Census Bureau), the greater Flushing to Times Square in Manhattan, and is Flushing area had the third-highest share of being extended farther west to 34th Street and foreign-born residents in 2009 (53.5 percent of the Eleventh Avenue, with service on the new portion population). Two nearby neighborhoods had a expected to begin in 2013. higher share of immigrants: Elmhurst/Corona Flushing is also a major bus hub, with 21 MTA (65.5 percent) and Jackson Heights (61.8 percent). routes that carry about 69 million passengers Immigrants in the greater Flushing area come from annually. Several major highways serve the area, more than 70 different countries, with the largest and LaGuardia Airport is nearby. shares from mainland China (29.4 percent) and Alongside Flushing’s many new developments are Korea (17.1 percent), followed by Colombia older historical properties, such as the Bowne (5.6 percent), Taiwan (4.2 percent), Ecuador House (the oldest house in Queens, built in 1661), (4.1 percent), and India (3.8 percent). the Kingsland Homestead, and Flushing Town In January 2010, the State Comptroller reported Hall (which is now an arts and cultural center). that neighborhoods with large immigrant The lobby of the landmarked but deteriorating populations had stronger business growth than the RKO Keith’s Theatre will be incorporated into a rest of the City. Between 2000 and 2009, the 17-story, 357-unit, mixed-use rental complex. number of business establishments in the greater Flushing was also the site of the first commercial Flushing area grew by 37.6 percent, much faster nursery in the United States, and downtown than in the rest of Queens (14.2 percent) and the Flushing is home to the Queens Botanical Garden, rest of the City (5.7 percent). which is a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Of the City’s 55 neighborhoods, the Flushing area Environmental Design) platinum-certified facility. had the 11th-highest concentration of senior citizens (15 percent) in 2009. Flushing has several Flushing Meadows Corona Park, which hosted the senior centers, and redevelopment of the RKO 1939 and 1964 World’s Fairs, is the second-largest Keith’s Theatre will include a new senior center. park in New York City. Among the park’s facilities are the New York Hall of Science, the Population growth has increased enrollment in the Queens Museum of Art, the Terrace on the Park neighborhood’s public schools by 11.3 percent catering hall, and the Flushing Meadows Corona between academic years 2004-2005 and 2010- Park Pool and Rink, the largest recreation complex 2011, compared to a 3.2 percent decline in the rest in any city park. of the City. High school enrollment growth in Flushing was especially strong, at 27 percent. Queens College, located along Flushing’s southern Overall, 12 of the 19 schools in Flushing are border, was recently rated by The Princeton operating above capacity. Flushing High School, Review as one of the nation’s most diverse for example, is 29 percent above capacity. campuses. The school has more than 20,000 students and offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees in over 100 areas of study. The college’s 1 Flushing is defined in this report as ZIP codes 11354, 11355, first residential hall opened in 2009. and 11358, but some data are only available for the greater Flushing area, which includes Whitestone and College Point. 2 Office of the State Comptroller Employment The four largest employment sectors in Flushing accounted for most of the job growth in the years Small business predominates in Flushing. since the recession began. Gains were led by According to the U.S. Census Bureau, health care and social assistance, Flushing’s 76.4 percent of the 5,570 businesses in Flushing largest employment sector. This sector added employed fewer than five workers in 2009, 1,110 jobs since 2007, bringing employment to compared to 60.5 percent in New York State and 13,050 jobs in 2010—or one-third of the area’s 54.6 percent nationwide. private sector jobs. This was much greater than the Nearly 90 percent of the area’s businesses had sector’s share in the rest of Queens (19.6 percent) fewer than ten employees, which was a much and the rest of the City (15.7 percent). higher rate than in the State and the nation. Only Strong job growth in the next three largest sectors 18 firms had more than 250 employees, and half between 2007 and 2010 reflected the rapid of these were located in the health care and social development and business growth in the area. As a assistance sector—which includes large hospitals result, by 2010, total employment in retail trade such as New York Hospital Queens, as well as (5,040 jobs), accommodation and food services nursing care facilities and home care services.